From technology to ethics: the role of philosophy in the education of environmental engineers for critical thinking focused on sustainability

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the importance of philosophy within the environmental engineering curriculum as a key element for fostering critical thinking and ethical decision-making in response to contemporary sustainability challenges, taking as a reference the educational context of Environmental Engineering students at the Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión (UNJFSC). Methodology: A documentary and descriptive research approach was conducted through a review of specialized philosophical literature. The process included the identification of relevant documents in academic databases and repositories, selecting sources that examine the relationship between technical rationality, ethics, and sustainability. A qualitative analysis and theoretical discussion were subsequently carried out to evaluate how these perspectives can be integrated into the professional education of environmental engineers. Results: The findings indicate that traditional technical education, strongly influenced by a mechanistic view of the relationship between society and nature, often guides future engineers toward a form of “technological solutionism,” in which environmental problems are mainly approached as technical challenges to be solved through tools or innovations. However, the integration of philosophical perspectives—from the virtue ethics proposed by Aristoteles to the principle of responsibility developed by Hans Jonas—helps promote a more reflective professional formation among Environmental Engineering students at UNJFSC, where technical knowledge is combined with environmental awareness and responsibility toward future generations.